Sunday, 5 May 2013

Gold fit for Royalty (and possibly me!)

Welsh gold is considered the gold of royalty and it's not hard to see why. It has a wonderful pinkish tone that sets it apart from other golds and gives it a really elegant, exclusive look. I first became interested in Welsh gold when I met my husband, nine years ago. He had a beautiful wedding ring, inherited from his grandmother, which had the slightly pinkish tone attributed to Welsh gold. The ring dated back to the mid 1800's so it would be difficult to prove conclusively either way if it is pure Welsh gold, but it was very beautiful all the same. On the anniversary of the date we met, seven years later, we got married and I've never taken it off since (bit scared to, to be honest!) You can see it in this picture, though not very clearly, I just thought I'd indulge in a little nostalgia, as it's our anniverary next week!

The ring has led me to research Welsh gold in some depth and it's a very interesting story. The British Royal Family have been using Welsh gold in their wedding rings since 1923, most recently in the band of Kate Middleton, when she married Prince William. However, earliest examples of Welsh gold are thought to trace back to 74AD. There are currently no Gold mines operating in Wales, the last one closing in 1999, which makes pure Welsh gold a rare commodity. It is still possible to buy jewellery containing a touch of Welsh gold, with that hint of pink that makes it so special. Clogau cold contains Welsh gold from the Clogau St David's Gold Mine, which is the same mine that supplied the gold for the Royal rings as far back as the Queen Mother. I have found some other lovely examples of Clogau jewellery during my research. They make so much more than just wedding rings! I found some lovely examples of pendants, charms, earrings and more on the RMA Williams Jewellers website. You may remember the post I did when I discovered their shop in the little seaside town of Porthcawl. They are official stockists of Clogau and have a Clogau day next weekend, for anyone that has an interest in this wonderful Welsh treasure. So, even if you don't need a wedding ring fit for Royalty, or if you fancy a little treat, have a day out at the seaside and pop in and say hello!

You look beautiful Lucy. Thanks for a great post, I must admit I love Welsh gold but then again I am rather biased! Next weekend the Clogau day we have cupcakes, win and a free prize draw with lots of prizes to giveaway. Great offers on the day too. If you can't attend you can always ring or email us our details are on our website www.rmawilliams.com.